Nursery Kids, Mickey and Me

It is a new month and I am glad we are now one month closer to Spring. January was a hectic month for me in terms of teaching. Hence, that is why I haven't written anything about teaching in a while. You see, my teaching schedule completely changed with the start of the new semester.

I have many new additions to my teaching schedule including--two classes of first graders, more nursery kids and did I mention more nursery kids? I am now teaching nursery kids (pre-school) at seven different schools. That's right folks seven--at least I think. The last month has been a jumble of meeting new kids, meeting new Hungarian teachers and trying to remember which bus takes me where I need to go. 

My nursery kids range from beginner to super beginner! I had someone with me in my first round of nursery lessons help translate things to the kids, but now that it has been a few weeks I am on my own. I usually have between 7 to 12 kids in a group for a 30 minute lesson. You may think a 30 minute lesson is a breeze, but put yourself in room with 10 kids and see how it goes. My lessons can go from brilliant to crap in a matter of moments if I don't maintain order. The kids are eager to learn, but also impatient. Every lesson feels like a one woman show, except the show isn't on Broadway...it isn't even off-off Broadway material. 

Me and my Mickey Mouse doll get the show started with the usual "Hello Mickey song," which is either a hit or gets me a few weird stares. The first time I pull out the Mickey Mouse doll I can tell what some of the kids are thinking, as in, "Who is this weirdo waving Mickey Mouse in my face?" But by the second lesson and definitely by the third lesson, me and Mickey are rock stars. They sing and wave and get so happy it almost makes me feel bad that I thought about ditching Mickey in a dumpster by the road the other day. 

Teaching kids in a foreign language is harder and easier than I thought it would be. It's hard in the fact that they speak Hungarian to me and I can't respond back. It is even harder when I do understand their Hungarian, but still cannot respond back because I am the English teacher--not the Hungarian to English teacher. I wish I could communicate with these kids in their native tongue. I can tell they have some wonderful, smart and silly things to share, but my Hungarian just isn't good enough and their English is still too limited.

The easy part about teaching the nursery kids is that they are sponges. I've always heard this term used with young kids, but now I know it is true! I am jealous that these kids are going to be bilingual, trilingual and so forth. It is amazing to see how much you can teach kids through body language, songs and games. Even the shyest of Hungarian children at the end of a lesson is already saying words quickly. 

I love teaching so far, but I do wrestle with what the future holds for me. Do I continue teaching when I go back home or do I seek a job behind a desk like the one I had before I came here? I don't know if Mickey and me will do a tour in the USA, but at least we have our routine down pat!